Moorish Mosaic, finally!

Almost immediately after it was published, I bought yarn for Lisa Naskrent's Moorish Mosaic Afghan.  Eleven months later, it is finally finished!

The only modification I made was to skip the triangle motifs intended to fill in the sides in favor of doing a few extra rounds for the border.  I love this pattern!

 Ravelry linky

Magic Carpet Blanket

I am so excited!  I have another pattern being published in the Spring 2011 Interweave Crochet, which is due out closer to the end of the month.  They've shared their preview here.

The pattern will be available for download on the Interweave website at some point, if you don't get the magazine.

And now that it's public I can share my pictures!



And one of the girls playing on it while I was taking a break from the seaming:

Pattern Writing

I have decided to spend the day (or the free hour I'll get during nap times) writing up three patterns I've been playing with. There are two crocheted block patterns (both for the block exchange I mentioned in my last post) and one crocheted hat. The hat is made with sock yarn and is for a baby, but could be for an adult as well. The hat will become a submission, once it's ready, that is....

Writing the patterns is not the hard part, the testing is. Once these are written, I'll have to make a couple to test myself. Then, once I'm happy with them, I'll find someone willing to try them out as well. A free crochet pattern isn't worth anything if you can't read it.

Not Your Ordinary Block Exchange

Ravelry has some really great groups. This particular one is an afghan block swap. Each member makes a 12 inch block for every other person in the group. There are 10-12 people in each group, giving you enough blocks for a 3x4 foot blanket to assemble by the end.
The group is using Comfort Worsted and we've selected a strawberries and cream color theme. I've completed 4 blocks so far. Here they are:

Spring Fling by April Moreland, done in two different color combinations. This one is my favorite so far!
New Year's Eve by Sherry Welch, made in a single color. This one feels a little floppier, but is very pretty. It seems like it was designed to be reversible, as it has some front-post and back-post crochets on both sides.And finally, one of my own. I have to call it a prototype as it's a little wonky in places, but I like it all the same. I'll be writing up the pattern at some point...


I've been toying with the idea of putting together a series of block patterns.

Beaded Lace Garter

It is official, Interweave Crochet is publishing one of my pieces. The supply list is here, while bonus photos are here.

Now that it's finally here, I feel like I can share a couple of my own photos. This is the piece actually featured in the photos in the magazine:

I am so proud,and very excited to start working on my next item. I've taken a break lately because I've simply wanted to knit up some of my stash, but I think the time has come to start up again.

Emily's Super Cute Hat

The hat she will never wear! I love it!

This is the Brr Babie Beanie by CraftyRahRah with a 5-Petal Flower by Julie Armstrong Holetz. Yummy!

I have decided to finish the Scrappy Baby Afghan that I started a looonnggg time ago. I had decided to use up all my little bits of baby yarn, because I didn't have enough of any one color to make a whole blanket, so this is what I ended up with. I love it, but unfortunately, I still have a ton of left over baby yarn. I'm probably going to switch to hats and cardigans, because I'm sure I have enough for those.

I also decided to make this smaller for a car seat, so it will be for Chrissy and her baby due in February!

Gingham Baby Blanket

For the trip to Milwaukee this weekend, I dug out an old crocheted baby blanket that I had been working on a while ago. Happily, I have finished it and it is darling.

[I will put in a finshed picture here just as soon as I get them back - had to purchase a disposable camera to use at the zoo this weekend and decided I would use up the second half of the roll on my stash and projects].

And, my stash count is somewhat reduced by the additional yarn I used, 227.5 yards

New total = 51,338.4 yards - 227.5 yards = 51,110.9 yards

Sampler Crochet Dishcloth

This will be used for a crochet workshop at work. The idea is to introduce the main stitches while giving a little time to practice them.

Materials
Worsted weight crochet cotton
Size I hook

Pattern

• Ch 25 loosely, turn
• Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn (24 sc total)
• Row 2: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn
• Row 4: sc in each st across, ch 3, turn
• Row 5: dc in second st and in each st across, ch 3, turn (the turning ch 3 is counted as the first dc, so there are 24 dc total including the turning ch 3)
• Row 6: dc in second st and in each st across (including the turning ch 3), ch 3, turn
• Row 7: dc in second st, *ch 1, skip next st, dc in next st, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn
• Row 8: dc in ch-1 space, ch 1, *skip next dc, dc in ch-1 space, ch 1, repeat from * across, dc in turning ch 3, ch 1, turn
• Row 9: sc in first dc and in each stitch across, ch 3, turn (24 sc total)
• Row 10: dc in second st, *ch 1, skip next st, dc in next st, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn
• Row 11: dc in ch-1 space, ch 1, *skip next dc, dc in ch-1 space, ch 1, repeat from * across, dc in turning ch 3, ch 3, turn
• Row 12: dc in ch-1 space and in each st across (including turning ch 3), ch 3, turn (24 dc total)
• Row 13: dc in second st and in each st across (including the turning ch 3), ch 1, turn
• Rows 14 - 15: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn
• Row 16: sc in each st across, do not finish off,
• Outer edge: sc around edge to finish off. On edges of rows, make two sc in each dc row, one sc in each sc row.

Stephanie's Crocheted Lace Wedding Garter

I fell in love with Diane Willett's Knitted Lace Wedding Garter, but couldn't seem to handle the size 00 needles that were required. After a week of fighting with the slippery cotton thread, I decided that I needed to design my own in crochet.

This is a gift for my sister Stephanie's wedding.

This pattern is on Ravelry.

Materials
cotton thread - size 30
crochet hook size 7 (1.65 mm)
1/4 inch wide blue ribbon
thin elastic cord
sewing notions

Gauge
The length of the garter is customizable. Research on the internet tells me that the standard thigh is 20-22 inches. The size I am working for is 24 inches. To this, I have added 2 inches to provide some gathering in the material. My total length is 26 inches.

Center Section
Throughout the pattern for the center section, the turning ch 2 is not counted as a hdc. Work this section to the desired length by repeating rows 3 and 4. Complete a number of rows equal to a multiple of 4, ending with row 3.

1. ch 10, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in next 7 ch, ch 2, turn (8 hdc)
2. hdc in first hdc, ch 2, skip next 2 hdc, hdc in next 2 hdc, ch 2, skip next 2 hdc, hdc in final hdc, ch 2, turn
3. hdc in each hdc across, with 2 hdc in each ch2 space, (8 hdc total), ch 2, turn
4. repeat rows 2 and 3 until pieces measures the desired length. Make sure that you have completed a number of rows equal to a multiple of 4, ending with row 2, ch 3, turn

To get 28 inches, my version was 192 rows long.

Edging
The edging is worked along each side of the garter. The instructions below will get you through the first side and then you just repeat on the other side of the center section.

1. Make 2 dc in each row across the side, counting the first turning ch 3 as the first dc. Make sure to get one stitch on the foundation row. You should have twice as many double crochets as you had rows, plus 1. I have 385 stitches. ch 3, turn
2. 2 dc in 1st dc, skip next 3 dc, (dc, ch 3, dc in next stitch), *skip next 3 dc, 5 dc in next dc, skip next 3 dc, (dc, ch 3, dc in next stitch), repeat from star across, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in last dc, ch 1, turn
3. sc in 1st dc, 5 dc in next ch 3 space, *skip next 3 dc, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next dc (this is the middle dc of the 5dc group), 5 dc in next ch 3 space, repeat from star across, skip next 3 dc, (sc, ch 3, sc) is last dc, cut thread and finish off.

Assembly
Make sure to block to get the proper stitch definition, paying particular attenting to the ch3 loops on the outside rows. After blocking, sew into a ring. Thread the ribbon and elastic through the openings in the center of the garter, making sure the elastic is hidden behind the ribbon. Sew the two ribbon ends together, making sure to leave enough ribbon to stretch to the desired length. Sew/tie the elastic together to the desired length.

I got the pattern for the flower from SkaMama's blog.

Pattern & images © 2008 by Melisa Darnieder. Personal use ONLY. Commercial use, including selling items made from this pattern, is prohibited. All rights reserved.